Reluctant Retiree

It is a dark and gloomy day around here. The sun has not come out at all and is not forecasted to appear today. And yet it is Christmas Eve, which brings joyous celebrations around the city. Many people will join with their families in feasts and laughter. Children are filled with hope as to what tomorrow will bring. Christians will gather in worship during Christmas Eve services. So even in this cold dreary day we find goodness and joy.

God’s blessings don’t stop just because the weather is bad, we don’t feel well, or circumstances may not meet our expectations. God is good all the time and He is good to all people. Even on our worst day, we can find something for which we are grateful.

Acts 14:16-17 illustrates these truths, when it says, “In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” Throughout history people and nations have rejected God to live in their own ways. Still, God provided for their needs by sending rains and making their crops yield produce. These blessings were, and are, meant to be a witness of His grace and love.

During this holiday season, take a moment to look around and notice the blessings that you have been given. Take another moment and thank the Giver of your blessings.

What does your mind drift off to when you have a free moment? What do you think about when you don’t have to think about something else? At times like these our free thoughts tell us something about ourselves. Are we fretting about future events? Perhaps we are regretting past choices. Maybe we are thinking about the things that bring us joy like our spouse, our children, food, football, or computer games. Perhaps our thoughts go to dark places that we would be ashamed if others knew we think about them.

Our meditations in these moments generally describe the things that are important to us. They may be our openly discussed ideas or our secrets. But these thoughts will eventually become the basis on which we make decisions. These thoughts then play out in our behavior and character.

Sometimes we need to gain control of these meditations and direct them to places that are beneficial to us. Psalm 19:14 says, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” Thinking thoughts that are acceptable to God, leads us closer to Him. These types of thoughts also build righteousness into our lives as we become more like Jesus. We begin to think about how our lives can please God, along with our meditations.

When we were young, my wife and I left our busyness to float down the Tippecanoe River in a canoe. We enjoyed the beautiful peaceful surroundings as we gently traveled downstream. We even went ashore briefly to have a picnic lunch and sit to take in the beauty.

As I look back on that day, I remember it as one of the most peaceful moments I have experienced. Oh, I have had my share of quiet times, but observing the beauty of the riverside, along with the serene float downriver was special. I still enjoy quiet walks along the river and find a degree of peace there.

How can we find true inner peace for our souls? Amidst our busy days and the intruding voices of our surroundings, where can our hearts be filled with serenity? Isaiah 32:17-18 says, “And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.” We find peace through righteous living. However, we can’t manufacture righteousness on our own. We have to trust God to work righteousness through us in the power of His Spirit. Then we will be protected from worthless accusations. Then we can live securely with the knowledge that we are upheld by God’s mighty power.

Several years ago my wife and I went on a three day trek in the Himalayan mountains. We hadn’t planned on trekking but mountain conditions forced us to walk out from the town we were visiting. The trek was difficult and dangerous. We had to cross through rivers and climb over landslides that had wiped out the trail in places. Each day, one of us was suffering some kind of ailment. Our friend was suffering from knee problems the first day. Heat exhaustion overtook me the second day, cutting short that day’s trek. On the third day, my wife slipped on one of the landslides and injured her ankle. We later found out her ankle was fractured, but on that day she walked three hours after sustaining the injury. We finally made it to a place where we could secure vehicle transportation into the city, where we caught a flight home. I actually felt sorry for the other passengers on the plane, because we did not smell very good at that point.

When we got home, we were able to get the proper medical attention and rest. Our memories of the trek are positive because we endured the struggle and pain to reach our goal and were stronger physically, mentally and spiritually because we persevered.

Psalm 30:4-5 explains, “Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones! Praise his holy name. His anger lasts for a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may go on all night, but joy comes with the morning.” Our problems test our faith, while building godly character into our lives. If we believe in God’s faithfulness through our struggles, we will be stronger and more godly when we reach the other side. Knowing that our problems are momentary, but God’s favor lasts forever, can help us persevere.

We used to live in a third world country, Nepal. We lived in the capital city of Kathmandu. I used to walk to most places, as it was much safer than driving on the roads. But walking had its own dangers. Roads and sidewalks were very uneven and most had huge ditches and holes. So I learned to walk with my head down, looking out for the dangers.

I still walk a lot here in the states and much of the time I still keep my head down. But in the last couple years much of my walking has actually been hiking through scenic parks, riverwalks, and nature preserves. Now I am eager to see the beauty of God’s creation and be inspired, so I keep my head up more often. It would be a shame to miss the spectacular sights that are around me.

Psalm 27:13-14 says, “I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Sights and sounds fill every moment of every day for most of us. These distractions can take our attention away from important things. God’s goodness surrounds us. But we often don’t behold it, because we are too busy with daily life. What a shame it is to miss such a majestic sight as the goodness of the Lord! We will see His goodness on this side of heaven, if we stop, wait, and look for it. Don’t miss it. Keep your head up! God’s goodness is here for you!